Archive for the ‘Harar’ Category

Ethiopia is endowed with full human Evolution time line starting from 10 million years Cheroropitchecus to the recent 150,000 years old Home sapiens sapiens.

Cheroropithecus abyssinicus: This is an extinct ape like genus and the oldest ever identified “human” like gorilla species in Ethiopia some 11 to 10 million years ago.

Ardipithecus kadabba: One of the oldest bipedal (walked upright) human species discovered to have been walked on two legs (identified through archaeology and paleontology techniques) in Ethiopia about 6 million years ago.

Ardipithecus ramidus: Commonly known as Ardi—it is an early human species who is discovered as the most complete early hominid specimen (skeletal fossil), with most of the skull, teeth, pelvis, hands and feet, more complete than the previously known Australopithecus Afarensis specimen in about 5 million years ago.

Australopithecus anamensis: This is the first Australopithecus category which shows a mix of advanced and primitive traits; it is a stem-human species in about 4.5 to 4.2 million years ago.

Australopithecus afarensis: Commonly named Lucy or Dinknesh, who is classified as hominid, is discovered in 1974 at Hadar area in the Awash Valley of the Afar (Apharsachits) depression estimated to have lived from 4.2 to 3.2million years ago.

Australopithecus aethiopicus: It is commonly known as the Black Skull—it became black because it absorbed minerals during fossilization, and is identified as an extinct species of the hominine Paranthropus aethiopicus. It is very mysterious to and the least known by many paleoanthropologists of the three species of robust Australopithecines, for few fragments of the “gorilla-like” fossils were discovered. It is estimated to live from 3.2 to 2.6 million years ago.

Australopithecus garhi: These fossils were discovered in 1996, and Garhi in Afar language means ‘surprise’. It is a find of a gracile australopithecine species, a new bipedal evolutionary link who was found to be the earliest tool user—a butcher with stone tools, and analyzed more likely to be the ancestor of Homos’ than to A. africanus. This species lived from about 2.9 to 2.5 years ago.

Homo habilis: It is an extinct species of human, the most ancient representative of the human genus. In Latin habilis means “able, skillful, handyman”; it is the earliest species in the genus Homo, of the Hominini tribe which survived to live during the Gelasian and early Calabrian stages of the Pleistocene period (roughly 2.8—1.5 million years ago). The fossils of Homo habilis have been found in Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Africa. Interestingly, environmental reconstructions of the Homo habilis’ period and sites suggest that these hominins lived in a wonderful woodland habitat with access to many rivers, lakes and streams.

Subsequently, the wise men, Homo Sapiens, emerged as abled and capable kingdom of humanity in Ethiopia, Africa which later moved Out-Of-Africa (OOA) to settle and adapt to environments of a variety.

Eye-opening archaeologists for Ethiopia to be traced as the epicenter for the origin of human species and very prominent in Lucy’s discovery are the American Anthropologist, Curator and Archaeologist Donald Johanson and Archaeologist Tom Gray, French Geologist and Archaeologist Maurice Taieb and French-born British Archaeologist and Paleontologist Yves Coppens.

Harar is one for the National Regional States of Ethiopia. In the centre of Harar, you will find the old fortified historic town of Harar, which is named Jugol. Jugol was the seat of an old Islamic sultanate reaching back at least the 10th century. Hara can be divided in two parts, as there is Jugol, the historic centre and before reaching there you will find the new Harar town.

The walls surrounding this sacred Muslim city were built between the 13th and 16th centuries. Hara Jugol, is said to the fourth holiest city of Islam. There are 82 mosques, and 102 shrines in Jugol, three of which date back to the 10th century. The urban architectural form of Jugol is similar to those found in Muslim countries, but it is unique in Ethiopia. Harar in its present form was established in the 16th century as an Islamic town characterized by a maze of narrow alleyways and forbidding facades.

The impact of African and Islamic traditions on the development of the town’s specific buildings types and urban layout make for the particular character and even uniqueness of Harar. The Harari people are known for the quality of their handicrafts, including weaving, basket making and book-binding, but the houses with their exceptional interior design constitutes the most spectacular part of Harar’s cultural heritage.

The typical Harari Traditional House is called Ge abad, of which about 1,800 are to be found inside Jugol, each part, each room, each ornament and each piece of decoration or niche has its own meaning, style and purpose.

Places You Should Visit while you are in Dire Dawa

Arthur Rimbaud House

The Arthur Rimbaud House was rehabilitated by the support of the French Embassy. On the ground floor there is a library about Jugol history, rehabilitation, UNESCO nominations etc. Above on the gallery you will find an exhibition of historic pictures about Jugol and from there you will have a nice view over the historic town to take beautiful pictures.

Sherif Harar City Museum

The museum developed from the collection of its first curator, Mr. Abdulahi Ali Sherif who, since the early 190s painstakingly acquired objects related to the material of culture of the region.

A significant part of the collection was donated by members of the Harari community. Permanent exhibits of the Sherif museum include items from Harari, Oromo, Amhara, Gurage, Somali and Argobba groups living in the region. The collection shows every items as textiles, jewelry, coins, basketry, weaponry and much more. Several objects belonged to prominent historical figures. A rich archive of historically significant manuscripts and music recordings are also on display.

Harari Cultural Museum

This center is on the one hand a museum showing the way of living in Harari traditional houses and on the other hand a place for temporary exhibitions, which can take place in the main hall.

The Historic museum, showing the different cultures of the region by handicraft artifacts today is located in the basement of the buildings of Harari Cultural Office.

The Hyena Place (Man feeding Hyena)

Hyenas are playing a very specific role in Harar. Historically they have accepted to clean Jugol during night. The Jugol Ramparts have several special openings, named Hyena Doors. Every evening at sundown there is a spectacle of feeding Hyenas. The Man feeding Hyena has prepared meat and will feed it to them by a stick. This way the Hyenas come very, very close to people. If you like you can feed them as well.

Babile Natural Park and Elephant Sanctuary

The Babile Elephant Sanctuary is a protected are encompassing 6,982 square kilometers. It was created for the conservation of the native elephant sub-species (Loxodonta africana oleansie) and is also home for the black-manned lion.

After driving 7km from Babile town, you will arrive at Dakata village. From there, the trip will continue on foot for another 2-3km to arrive at a very nice view point with the possibility of seeing many animals especially many different birds.

In Babile itself, every Monday and Thursday they hold a huge camel market. If you want, you can take a camel ride in the camel market.